Ten years ago, in 2014, Philadelphia based emo/indie band Modern Baseball released their sophomore full-length album, “You’re Gonna Miss It All”, forever changing the scene. Widely regarded as one of the best emo albums of the 2010s and undoubtedly Modern Baseball’s magnum opus, “You’re Gonna Miss It All” is a powerful record full of twinkly guitar riffs and unbelievably catchy choruses to sing along to. Jacob Ewald and Brendan Lukens, Modern Baseball’s two primary singer/songwriters, write lyrics that perfectly capture the uncertainty and awkwardness of adolescence. From songs about romanticizing unattainable crushes to feeling lost in the transfer to adulthood, all 30 minutes of this 12 song record are crafted masterfully. Here’s a track-by-track analysis of what makes this album so special.
“I hate worrying about the future ‘cause all my current problems are based around the past.” Those are the first lyrics of the record, setting the tone for exactly what this album is going to be like. The instrumentation on this track also represents Modern Baseball perfectly, opening with a calm upbeat guitar riff, slowly building into a powerful chorus around the 1:15 mark. “Fine, Great” is a song about getting your kindness and concern for others taken advantage of. In this song, frontman Brenadn Lukens describes a girl constantly coming to him to complain and vent, all while giving no real care to him and his issues. The track ends with the lyrics “all I wanna do is worry about everyone but me.” In a sort of magical way, the hyperbolic whining captures the issue perfectly, and maximizes the listeners ability to empathize with the situation. “Fine, Great” is a perfect opener for the record, clearly establishing what’s to come for the next 11 tracks.
We all mess up sometimes. A lot of those times, we end up angry at ourselves for our actions. Sometimes we even get mad at other people. That’s what “Broken Cash Machine” is about. Written and performed by Modern Baseball’s other frontman, Jake Ewald, “Broken Cash Machine” is a quick upbeat song about reminiscing on all the stupid mistakes you’ve made. In signature Modern Baseball fashion, the chorus is quick and catchy, with Ewald singing “Hey, why did I do that? I make everything collapse, even when it’s glued together.” Clocking in at just under two minutes, “Broken Cash Machine” is a short track that fits perfectly into the second spot on the album.
One of Modern Baseball’s most popular tracks, “Rock Bottom” is an unconventional love song about wasting away with someone even though you probably have other priorities to attend to.
“To hell with class I’m skippin’, let’s order food and sleep in. I’ve got so much to do but it’s okay, ‘cause whatever forever.” These lyrics perfectly encompass the theme of the song, specifically “whatever forever”, which has become a sort of slogan for the band amongst fans. “Rock Bottom”’s backing instrumentation is some of the best in the band’s entire discography and is one of the main reasons the song is so celebrated. “Rock Bottom” is a powerful, romantic track, and one of my favorites from the record.
“Apartment” is my favorite track from this record, and the one I always show people when I’m trying to get them into Modern Baseball. It’s hard to put into words how much I love this song and why. “Apartment” is a song about having a crush on someone. It’s a song that’s been made a million times by a million different artists. But it stands out. Due to Ewald’s sharp songwriting and the always catchy instrumentation and song structure, “Apartment” is a grand ballad of romance. Anybody who is somewhat familiar with Modern Baseball’s body of work knows what I mean when I refer to Ewald being a sharp songwriter. Maybe genius is a better way to put it. This is on full display on “Apartment”, with simple yet extremely clever lines such as “I looked your direction for excessive inspection, and I could not muster the courage to say a single word,”a line which suddenly welcomes the second guitar into the song, kicking it into overdrive. I want to write an entire article analyzing every single lyric of this song. It perfectly captures the feeling of awkwardly pursuing someone with every fiber of your being in a way few other songs ever have for me. The chorus is absolutely my favorite in Modern Baseball’s entire discography, and maybe just my favorite chorus ever in general. Ewald belts probably the most relatable line ever written, desperately singing “I’ll walk home with my eyes low, dreaming of conversations we’ll have tomorrow”. “Apartment” is the exact kind of fast-paced, awkward love song that makes Modern Baseball so special, and is one of my favorite songs ever.
It’s not an emo album without a very angry break-up song. That’s what “The Old Gospel Choir” is here for. Anybody who’s ever had a failed relationship with someone has probably retroactively asked themselves the question, “did they even care?” which is exactly what this song is about. This time, it’s Lukens turn to put his clever songwriting on display. “Sharp as a tack, but in the sense that you’re not smart, just a prick, in my finger or my toes, ripping staggered holes all the way to my chest.” There are many lines like this throughout the song, subtly dissing the antagonist’s neglect of Lukens’ feelings. But despite this realization and the disdain he claims to hold for the other person, in the end, there’s still something there. We know this, as the track closes with the line “I sure as hell know one thing, you sure ain’t dead to me.” “The Old Gospel Choir” doesn’t necessarily stand out as one of the best songs on the album, but it’s a great track, and the record needs it.
On the surface, “Notes” is a song about a tough relationship with someone. While this is true, the song is truly a love letter to improving alongside someone despite your past mistakes, which I find beautiful. Opening like a literal letter with the lyrics “Dear long, dark hair,” the track progresses through Ewald’s journey to accepting the inherent flaws of himself and his partner. Ewald describes the lessons he’s learned from her early in the relationship, seemingly negative, but finishes the song by referring to this girl with the same endearing title of “my long, dark hair,” showing his affection for her is still there. “Notes” deviates a little bit from the traditional Modern Baseball formula, but is executed well, and serves as a nice musical love letter in the middle of the album.
“Charlie Black”/“Timmy Bowers”
I’m combining these two tracks due to the fact that they are essentially just one long track, transitioning seamlessly between one another with an ambience of wind howling. The first two songs on the record that are written and performed by the same person sequentially, “Charlie Black” and “Timmy Bowers” are two songs about the process of grieving someone you’ve lost (in a relationship sense). We all know the first stages of grief are denial and anger, which is what “Charlie Black” focuses on. Lukens angrily sings about the sense of relief he’s gained following the end of the relationship, stating “Wait a minute, ‘cause I’ve been living more like a king without you”. We can all see the irony in this though, as we’ve been there before. And as expected, “Timmy Bowers” does a full 180, presenting a slow, melancholic tune about the real feelings that come once you process an event like a breakup. “Timmy Bowers” echoes the lyrics of it’s counterpart, twisting them to more accurately represent the later stages of grief, such as acceptance. “Wait a minute, ‘cause I’ve been living more like a piece of **** without you” repeats throughout the entire song, and is the last words we hear as the track comes to a close.
Another one of, in my opinion, the most underrated songs on the record, “Going to Bed Now” is for all intents and purposes a diss track. It’s a wonderfully written song about a pretentious, self-centered, arrogant person who can’t seem to figure out that you do not like them. In all honesty, just think of the most annoying person you know, and you’ll probably connect to the song. The track is surprisingly one of the most upbeat songs on the record, moving quickly and loudly in an all out assault on the song’s antagonist. Ewald does this by using clever insults throughout the song such as the dramatic closing lines: “I’ll kick myself asleep before I’d shake that grimy, dirty, russet arrogant hand, so please leave my house”. “Going to Bed Now” is one of my favorite songs on the entire album, and is a great transition into the record’s final act.
“Your Graduation” is THE Modern Baseball song. Undoubtedly the most iconic song ever put out by the band, and one of the most iconic songs in the the scene generally, “Your Graduation” is an emo revival staple. The song pulls out all the stops. It’s the only track in Modern Baseball’s entire discography where drummer Sean Huber has vocals, as he gets an entire verse serving as the bridge to Luken’s iconic chorus. A chorus which will forever ring out in my head, with Lukens singing “you weren’t the only one who thought of us that way”. The whole song is about allowing someone to finally leave and moving on, as the song closes with the line “go ahead and walk away”. Alongside the catchy songwriting and unique inclusion of new vocals, the instrumentation may be the best in Modern Baseball’s entire catalog, with a back-half guitar riff that might be my favorite twenty seconds of music ever. This track has probably the most aggressive drumming on the entire record, allowing you to feel the anger and built up tension being released in the reluctant permission of our protagonist allowing the subject of the song to “walk away”. “Your Graduation” is considered the best song on the album for good reason as it’s a masterpiece in all senses of the word, and is one of my personal favorite songs ever.
It’s hard to follow up a song like “Your Graduation”, but “Two Good Things” does a solid job. The track is a simplistic catchy song about feeling overwhelmed with life, even when all the things overwhelming you are positive, hence the title. Ewald sings about the effects of this stress, with lines such as “Makin’ plans in my head, right before I go to sleep, tryna think of who could make a better me than me”. Later in the song, Ewald finds comfort in “just walkin’ in circles and playin’ high school songs in my head”. Life gets tough when you have a lot going on. Just relax and listen to some high school songs.
The last song on the record, “Pothole” is by far the softest. With nothing but acoustic guitar and some ambient synths, “Pothole” is a bit of a tear-jerker. Ewald writes about being trapped in love with someone who plays with his emotions, and his unwillingness to do anything about it. Every line in this song kills me, especially the last verse, which Ewald quietly mutters. “I can be everything you need if you make me. I can be every crack in your concrete, if you let me off easy. I can be easily deceived, if you want that. But, you are the ember of my heart, whether you like that or not”. It’s heartbreaking, and serves as the perfect in your face closer to an album that is more subtly heartbreaking throughout.
Mary R. • Oct 25, 2024 at 6:38 pm
Well written and revealing. I’ve never listened to this group but I now have an excellent perspective on their content and the musicians themselves. And having long ago been a teenager, this brings back memories of my teenage years very accurately.
Thanks for the memories. Well done indeed.